Methods and system for preparing and installing brick assemblies on the floor of an electrolysis cell

ABSTRACT

Brick assemblies are prepared for covering the floor of an electrolysis cell. A tiling pattern is overlaid on a floor plan. Virtual tiles of the tiling pattern have a size and a shape of a template. Each brick assembly is formed to match zero or more departures from the template of a portion of the floor overlaid by each virtual tile. The brick assemblies are placed in piles and successively picked up for placement in adjacent positions on the floor of the electrolysis cell. Successive brick layers may be installed, in which tiling patterns are shifted to avoid overlap of the edges of bricks of the successive brick layers. A system comprises a working bench to prepare the brick assemblies, a vacuum brick lifter carried by a motorized structure to pick up and position the brick assemblies, and a controller to control the preparation and installation of the brick assemblies.

CROSS-REFERENCE

The present application claims priority from Canadian Patent ApplicationNo., 3,096,361, filed on Oct. 19, 2020, the disclosure of which isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the field of aluminum smelting. Morespecifically, the present disclosure relates to methods and to a systemfor preparing and installing brick assemblies on the floor of anelectrolysis cell.

BACKGROUND

Potlining is a procedure used for the building and maintenance ofelectrolysis cells found in aluminum smelters. One of the main aspectsof potlining consists in the installation of materials, such as bricks,cathodes, blocks and ramming paste, in several airtight and resistantlayers that protect the structure of the electrolysis cell from the heatgenerated by aluminum melting processes.

Bricks made of refractory material are laid on the floor of theelectrolysis cell. Conventional bricks may typically have a 110 mmwidth, a 220 mm length, and a 60 mm height. These measurements are notprecise, and each brick may have its own tolerance. Grouting isfrequently added at junctions between adjacent bricks in order toprovide sealing therebetween.

As bricks layers are positioned on top of one another, care is taken sothat junctions between adjacent bricks of one layer are not locatedabove junctions of another layer immediately underneath it. To this end,it is necessary to cut many bricks at installation time. This requiresintensive use of manpower and time, and is thus costly.

Therefore, there is a need for improvements potlining processes thatcompensate for problems related to the long installation time and to theamount of manpower required to lay bricks on the floor of anelectrolysis cell.

SUMMARY

According to the present disclosure, there is provided a method forpreparing a plurality of brick assemblies for covering a floor of anelectrolysis cell, comprising:

-   -   overlaying a tiling pattern on a plan of the floor of the        electrolysis cell, each virtual tile of the tiling pattern        having a size and a shape of a template;    -   identifying, for each virtual tile of the tiling pattern, zero        or more departures of a portion of the floor of electrolysis        cell overlaid by the virtual tile of the tiling pattern from the        size and the shape of the template; and    -   for each given virtual tile of the tiling pattern having at        least one departure from the size and the shape of the template,        adjusting a size and a shape of a corresponding brick assembly        so that the corresponding brick assembly matches a size and a        shape of a given portion of the floor of the electrolysis cell        overlaid by the given virtual tile of the tiling pattern.

In an embodiment of the present technology, adjusting the size and theshape of the corresponding brick assembly comprises cutting one or morebricks of the corresponding brick assembly.

In an embodiment of the present technology, cutting one or more bricksof the corresponding brick assembly comprises adjusting a size and ashape of each brick of the corresponding brick assembly according to astandard brick size and a standard brick shape.

In an embodiment of the present technology, the template comprises apredetermined number of bricks; and adjusting the size and the shape ofthe corresponding brick assembly comprises forming the correspondingbrick assembly by combining fewer bricks than the predetermined numberof bricks.

According to the present disclosure, there is also provided a method forcovering a floor of an electrolysis cell, comprising:

preparing a plurality of brick assemblies using the method for preparinga plurality of brick assemblies for covering a floor of an electrolysiscell;

-   -   placing one or more subsets of the plurality of brick assemblies        in one or more piles;    -   laying the brick assemblies of a given pile on the floor of the        electrolysis cell by:        -   successively picking up the brick assemblies of the given            pile from a top of the given pile, and        -   placing each successively picked up brick assembly on the            floor of the electrolysis cell in an adjacent position to a            previously picked up brick assembly.

In an embodiment of the present technology, the method further comprisessuccessively picking up and placing on the floor of the electrolysiscell the brick assemblies of a second pile after having picked up andplaced on the floor of the electrolysis cell the brick assemblies of afirst pile.

In an embodiment of the present technology, the plurality of brickassemblies are placed on the floor of the electrolysis cell by: laying afirst number of adjacent brick assemblies along a width of theelectrolysis cell to form a first row of adjacent brick assembliesextending across the width of the electrolysis cell; and laying a secondnumber of adjacent bricks along the width of the electrolysis cell so toform a second row of adjacent bricks extending across the width of theelectrolysis cell, the second row of adjacent bricks being contiguous tothe first row of adjacent brick assemblies.

In an embodiment of the present technology, a first brick assemblypicked up from the first pile is placed in a first corner of the floorof the electrolysis cell.

In an embodiment of the present technology, a last brick assembly pickedup from a bottom of a last pile is placed in a second corner of thefloor of the electrolysis cell at an opposite end from the first corner.

In an embodiment of the present technology, the tiling pattern is afirst tiling pattern for a first brick layer for covering the floor ofthe electrolysis cell; the brick assemblies are first brick assembliesof the first brick layer; the method further comprising: overlaying, onthe plan of the floor of the electrolysis cell, a second tiling patternfora second brick layer, each virtual tile of the second tiling patternhaving the size and the shape of the template, the second tiling patternbeing shifted in relation to the first tiling pattern in a firstdirection by less than a first dimension of bricks of the first bricklayer and in a second direction by less than a second dimension of thebricks of the first brick layer; identifying, for each virtual tile ofthe second tiling pattern, zero or more departures of a portion of thefloor of electrolysis cell overlaid by the virtual tile of the tilingpattern from the size and the shape of the template; and for each givenvirtual tile of the second tiling pattern having at least one departurefrom the size and the shape of the template, adjusting a size and ashape of a corresponding second brick assembly so that the correspondingsecond brick assembly matches a size and a shape of a given portion ofthe floor of the electrolysis cell overlaid by the given virtual tile ofthe second tiling pattern.

According to the present disclosure, there is also provided a method forcovering a floor of an electrolysis cell, comprising:

-   -   preparing brick assemblies of first and second pluralities of        brick assemblies;    -   placing one or more first subsets of the first plurality of        brick assemblies in one or more first piles;    -   placing one or more second subsets of the second plurality of        brick assemblies in one or more second piles;    -   forming the first brick layer for covering the floor of the        electrolysis cell by:        -   successively picking up the first brick assemblies of a            given first pile from a top of the given first pile, and        -   placing each successively picked up first brick assembly on            the floor of the electrolysis cell in an adjacent position            to a previously picked up first brick assembly, wherein the            first brick assemblies are successively picked up from the            one or more first piles until the floor of the electrolysis            cell is covered by the first plurality of brick assemblies;            and    -   forming a second brick layer for covering first brick layer by:        -   successively picking up the second brick assemblies of a            given second pile from a top of the given second pile, and        -   placing each successively picked up second brick assembly on            top of the first brick layer in an adjacent position to a            previously picked up second brick assembly, wherein the            second brick assemblies are successively picked upon from            the one or more second piles until the first brick layer is            covered by the second plurality of brick assemblies.

The present disclosure further relates to a system, comprising:

-   -   a working bench adapted to prepare brick assemblies;    -   a vacuum brick lifter adapted to hold and release the prepared        brick assemblies;    -   a motorized structure adapted to move along sides of an        electrolysis cell and to carry the vacuum brick lifter; and    -   a controller comprising:        -   an input/output device operatively connected to the working            bench, to the vacuum brick lifter and to the motorized            structure,        -   a processor operatively connected to the input/output            device, and        -   a memory device comprising a non-transitory            computer-readable medium having stored thereon machine            executable instructions for performing, when executed by the            processor, the method for preparing a plurality of brick            assemblies for covering a floor of an electrolysis cell            and/or the methods for covering the floor of the            electrolysis cell.

The foregoing and other features will become more apparent upon readingof the following non-restrictive description of illustrative embodimentsthereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the disclosure will be described by way of example onlywith reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum brick lifter according to anembodiment of the present technology;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vacuum brick lifter of FIG. 1supported by a motorized structure according to an embodiment of thepresent technology;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a working bench for forming brickassemblies according to an embodiment of the present technology;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a pallet according to an embodiment ofthe present technology;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an electrolysis cell, in which a flooris partially covered by brick assemblies according to an embodiment ofthe present technology;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the electrolysis cell of FIG. 5, showingan operation for picking up a next brick assembly using the vacuum bricklifter according to an embodiment of the present technology;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the electrolysis cell of FIG. 5, showingan operation for bringing the next brick assembly in a position adjacentto a previous brick assembly according to an embodiment of the presenttechnology;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the electrolysis cell of FIG. 5, showingan operation for releasing the next brick assembly from the vacuum bricklifter according to an embodiment of the present technology;

FIG. 9 is an example of a pile of prepared brick assemblies ready forinstallation in the electrolysis cell according to an embodiment of thepresent technology;

FIG. 10 is an example of a prepared brick assembly, in which the bricksare assembled with mortar according to an embodiment of the presenttechnology;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a workshop version of the vacuum bricklifter and of a workshop floor partially covered with brick assembliesaccording to an embodiment of the present technology;

FIG. 12 is another perspective view of the workshop version of thevacuum brick lifter and of the workshop floor partially covered withbrick assemblies according to an embodiment of the present technology;

FIG. 13 is an illustrative, top plan view of the floor of theelectrolysis cell with an overlaid tiling pattern according to anembodiment of the present technology;

FIG. 14 is an illustrative, top plan view of a portion of the floor ofthe electrolysis cell with two overlaid tiling patterns according to anembodiment of the present technology;

FIG. 15 is a sequence diagram showing operations of a method forpreparing a plurality of brick assemblies for covering a floor of anelectrolysis cell according to an embodiment of the present technology;

FIG. 16 is a sequence diagram showing sub-operations for adjusting asize and a shape of a brick assembly according to an embodiment of thepresent technology;

FIG. 17 is a sequence diagram showing operations of a method forcovering a floor of an electrolysis cell according to an embodiment ofthe present technology; and

FIG. 18 is a block diagram of a controller of a system for preparingbrick assemblies and for covering a floor of an electrolysis cell withthe brick assemblies according to an embodiment of the presenttechnology.

Like numerals represent like features on the various drawings. Unlessotherwise noted, the various Figures are not to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various aspects of the present disclosure generally address one or moreof the problems related to the long installation time and to the amountof manpower required to lay bricks on the floor of an electrolysis cell.

The present technology comprises a method for relining the floor of anelectrolysis cells. A number of brick assemblies are preformed and thenmoved to their resting position on the floor of the electrolysis cell bya vacuum brick lifter. The bricks of a brick assembly may be grouted, sothat they remain fixedly jointed, before being moved to their restingposition. Grouting may be made, for example, using mortar or anotheradhesive. Alternatively, the bricks of the brick assembly may be leftunattached and the vacuum brick lifter may be configured to hold them inposition when they are unattached. The vacuum brick lifter may itself besupported by a support structure overhanging above the floor of theelectrolysis cell.

In a non-limiting example, the support structure for the vacuum bricklifter may be as described in Canadian Patent No. 2,842,083 to DannyGagnon, issued on Jul. 7, 2015 (hereinafter “Gagnon '083”). An apparatusintroduced in Gagnon '083 comprises a motorized structure having a pairof supports configured to stand on both sides of the electrolysis cell.The motorized structure is adapted to carry an interchangeable moduleabove the electrolysis cell. A processing unit of the interchangeablemodule is carried on the motorized structure. The processing unit isprogrammed to operate the interchangeable module. An alignment systemconnected to the processing unit is configured to control movement ofthe motorized structure along a longitudinal axis of the electrolysiscell. Examples of the interchangeable modules disclosed in Gagnon '083include a cathode lifting module, a vacuum lifting module, and acompaction module. The above-mentioned vacuum brick lifter may be usedas one of the interchangeable modules carried by the motorized structureand operated by the processing unit.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum brick lifter 10. The vacuumbrick lifter 10 can be suspended from a structure (shown in FIG. 2)using for example a connecting rod (FIG. 2) connected to an attachmentpoint 12. The vacuum brick lifter 10 comprises a number of suction cups14 disposed on its lower face. The suction cups 14 are placed in amatrix formed of a plurality of rows 16 and a plurality of columns 18,for example five rows 16 and ten columns 18 as illustrated on FIG. 1. Anetwork of conduits 20 connect the rows 16 and the columns 18 to providevacuum to each of the suction cups 14. Electric or hydraulic actuators22 are used to apply and then release the vacuum in the conduits 20,effectively causing the vacuum brick lifter 10 to hold a number ofbricks on which the suction cups 14 are resting and then to release thebricks when placed in a desired position.

In an embodiment, the vacuum brick lifter 10 may have a 300 KG liftingcapacity. Size and positioning of the suction cups 14 are selected inview of lengths and widths of the bricks, which may for example have a220 mm length and a 110 mm width. In the non-limiting example of FIG. 1,the vacuum brick lifter 10 may hold up to 50 bricks in a brick assemblythat contains In another non-limiting embodiment, the vacuum bricklifter may comprise 40 distinct suction cups 14 and be able to support abrick assembly comprising 40 bricks, whether or not the bricks arefixedly assembled within the brick assembly, for example using mortar oranother adhesive.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vacuum brick lifter 10 of FIG. 1supported by a motorized structure 30. The motorized structure 30 has apair of wheeled supports 32 configured to stand on both sides of anelectrolysis cell (FIG. 6). The motorized structure 30 supports aprocessing unit 34 connected to the vacuum brick lifter 10 by way of acable 36. Although not shown, the cable 36 may comprise a signallinglink connected to the actuators 22 of the vacuum brick lifter 10, thesignalling link carrying commands from the processing unit 34 forapplying and releasing vacuum in the conduits 20 and in the suction cups14. A positioning sensor (not shown) of the vacuum brick lifter 10 mayprovide positioning information to the processing unit 34 via thesignalling link, allowing to precisely locate the vacuum brick lifter 10for installation of the brick assemblies.

A control panel 38 contains an alignment system (not shown) operativelyconnected to the processing unit 34. The alignment system is operativelyconnected to a first motorized drive 40 for controlling a movement ofthe motorized structure 30 along a longitudinal axis 42 of theelectrolysis cell. The alignment system is operatively connected to asecond motorized drive 44 for controlling a lateral movement of theprocessing unit 34 on a pair of beams 46 of the motorized structure 30,the beams 46 being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 42 of theelectrolysis cell. Longitudinal movements of the motorized structure 30and lateral movements of the processing unit 34 allow positioning thevacuum brick lifter 10 over the entire floor of the electrolysis celland to install bricks over its entire floor surface.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a working bench 50 for forming brickassemblies. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a pallet 70. Bricks 80, forexample refractory bricks or insulated bricks, are placed on a receivingstation 52 of the working bench 50 using any conventional manual ormechanical means. For example and without limitation, the bricks 80 maybe loaded on the receiving station 52 from an ordinary wood pallet. Eachbrick 80 is picked up by one, by an operator who brings the bricks 80 toa shaper 56 located on a positioning station 58 of the working bench 50.It is contemplated that the working bench 50 may include a robotized arm(not shown) adapted to displace the bricks 80, for example one by one,from the receiving station 52 to the positioning station 58. A perimeterof the shaper 56 defines a template for an ideal brick assembly 82formed of a plurality of bricks 80. The shaper 56 may be configured totightly hold the bricks 80 in view of minimizing any gap therebetween.As a non-limiting example, the template may be rectangular in shape andcomprise a predetermined number of bricks assembled in a predeterminednumber of rows and a predetermined number of columns, which arerespectively less than or equal to the numbers of rows 16 and columns 18formed of the suction cups 14 of the vacuum brick lifter 10.

In practice, each of several brick assemblies 82 have respectivepredetermined configurations designed so that they will fully cover thefloor of the electrolysis cell, which may be irregular, without any gaptherebetween, when installed. Before being picked up by the operator (orthe robotized arm), some of the bricks 80 may be precisely cut on any ofits edges by a pivotable and longitudinally moveable cutting tool 60,for example a saw having a rotative blade, according to thepredetermined configuration of the brick assembly 82 that will be formedwhen the operator (or the robotized arm) brings the cut bricks 80 to theshaper 56. It is further contemplated that the robotized arm or anotherrobotized tool may lay mortar on the bricks 80 of the brick assemblies82.

For example and without limitation, if a corner of the electrolysis cellis slightly rounded, a brick assembly 82 that is planned to bepositioned in that corner will also be slightly rounded and,consequently, at least some of the bricks 80 forming this brick assembly82 will be cut accordingly by the cutting tool 60.

The bricks 80 of a first brick assembly 82 are placed on the pallet 70,which is received in the positioning station 58 of the working bench 50,on an electric or pneumatic elevator 62. The pallet 70 includes openings72 underneath its top surface 74. These openings 72 are adapted forinserting therein the forks of a forklift (shown in a later Figure) formoving the pallet 70. It is contemplated that a crane may be used tomove the pallet 70. In an embodiment, the pallet 70 is constructed offiberglass or of another durable material that can be reused and thatwill not be deformed under the weight of a pile 84 of brick assemblies82. Then, the bricks 80 of a next brick assembly 82 are placed on top ofthe first brick assembly 82. The pneumatic elevator 62 is used tomaintain a brick assembly 82 being formed at the top of the pile 84 at alevel of the bricks 80 on the receiving station 52. The pile 84 of brickassemblies 82 is thus formed on top of the pallet 70. The topmost brickassembly 82 of the pile 84 is the last one having been assembled on theworking bench 50 and will be the first one to be picked up from the pile84 by the vacuum brick lifter 10 for installation on the floor of theelectrolysis cell. The various components of the working bench 50 may becontrolled from an operation station 64. A vacuum dust collection system(not shown) may also be present in the working bench 50.

As each brick assembly 82 is formed, the bricks 80 may optionally befixedly jointed using mortar or another adhesive. In such case, a smallgap, for example 1.25 mm, may be left between each brick 80 to allow themortar to flow between the bricks.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an electrolysis cell 100, in which afloor 110 is partially covered by brick assemblies 82. A pallet 70carrying a pile 84 of brick assemblies 82 is brought in proximity of theelectrolysis cell 100, for example being carried by a forklift 120. Inthe example of FIG. 5, the operation 122 of the forklift 120 places thepallet 70 and its pile 84 of brick assemblies 82 on a receiving platform130 positioned at one end of the electrolysis cell 100.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the electrolysis cell 100 of FIG. 5,showing an operation for picking up a next brick assembly 82 using thevacuum brick lifter 10. The motorized structure 30 brings the vacuumbrick lifter 10 in position overhanding the receiving platform 130,allowing the vacuum brick lifter 10 to pick up a brick assembly 82 atthe top of the pile 84. As illustrated, the operator 122 may move theforklift 120 away from the electrolysis cell 100, as the pile 84 isresting on the receiving platform 130. An embodiment in which therewould be no receiving platform is also contemplated, in which case theforklift 120 would remain in position as the vacuum brick lifter 10 isemptying the pile 84, one brick assembly 82 at a time. Another operator140 uses a remote controller 142, which is operatively connected to thecontrol panel 38 of the motorized structure 30, either by wired orwireless connection. The remote controller 142, which is illustrativelydepicted as a display of the remote controller 142, is used by theoperation 140 to control the motorized structure 30 and of the vacuumbrick lifter 10. On FIG. 6, the display 142 shows that brick assemblies82 numbered 1 to 14 have already been installed on the floor 110 of theelectrolysis cell 100 and that the vacuum brick lifter 10 is gettingready to pick up a brick assembly 82 for installation in a 15^(th)position on the floor 110 of the electrolysis cell 100. Much of theoperations of the motorized structure 30 and of the vacuum brick lifter10 may be automated; regardless the operator 140 may maintain anoversight of the brick laying operation and bring corrective actions,when necessary.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the electrolysis cell 100 of FIG. 5,showing an operation for bringing the next brick assembly 82 ₁₄ in aposition adjacent to a previous brick assembly 82 ₁₃. FIG. 8 is aperspective view of the electrolysis cell 100 of FIG. 5, showing anoperation for releasing the next brick assembly 82 ₁₄ from the vacuumbrick lifter 10. On FIG. 8, the display 142 shows that the 14^(th) brickassembly is now installed on the floor 110 of the electrolysis cell.

FIGS. 5 to 8 show two operators 122 and 140, one of which is operatingthe forklift 120 while the other is overseeing the installation of thebrick assemblies 82 on the floor 110 of the electrolysis cell 100. WhileFIGS. 6 to 9 are not to scale, they do provide a realistic, non-limitingexample of a size of the electrolysis cell 100, of the vacuum bricklifter 10, and of the motorized structure 30. In these examples, theoverall length of the electrolysis cell is 8 times the length and 3times the width of a single brick assembly 82. Each brick assemblycontains 5 rows by 9 columns of bricks, each brick having a length of220 mm and a width of 110 mm. The illustrated electrolysis cell 100therefore has an 8.8-meter length and a 3.0-meter width. In anothernon-limiting example, the electrolysis cell 100 may have a 12-meterlength and a 4-meter width. Other sizes of the electrolysis cell 100 arealso contemplated.

FIG. 9 is an example of a pile 84 of prepared brick assemblies 82 readyfor installation in the electrolysis cell 100. In the pile 84 as shownon FIG. 9, the brick 80 have smooth edges and form brick assemblies 82that each include four rows 16 and nine columns 18 of bricks 80, inwhich there is no significant gaps between the bricks 80. The bricks 80may have been sourced in smooth form, or may have been cut by thecutting tool 60 of the working bench 50 in order to arrive at a standardbrick size and a standard brick shape.

FIG. 10 is an example of a prepared brick assembly 82′, in which thebricks 80 are assembled with mortar 86. The brick assembly 82 thatincludes five rows 16 and eight columns 18 of bricks 80, in which thereis a gap of about 1.5 mm is left between each brick 80 for grouting ofthe brick assembly 82 with motor 86. The example of FIG. 10 shows thatadjacent columns 18 of bricks 80 may be offset, for example by abouthalf a length of the bricks 80. This configuration may be used with andwithout grouting of the bricks 80 of the brick assemblies 82 or 82′. Itmay be observed from consideration of FIG. 10 that the template of theshaper 56 used to define the brick assemblies 82 may not be rectangularin shape.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a workshop version of the vacuum bricklifter 10′ and of a workshop floor 88 partially covered with brickassemblies 82. FIG. 12 is another perspective view of the workshopversion of the vacuum brick lifter 10′ and of the workshop floor 88partially covered with brick assemblies. The vacuum brick lifter 10′mainly differs from the vacuum brick lifter 10 introduced in thedescription of FIG. 1 in the manner in which it is supported usingchains 24 and a beam 26 (also called a straightedge), and positionedusing handlebars 28. The vacuum brick lifter 10′ is otherwise similarand operates in the same manner as the vacuum brick lifter 10. It hasbeen used as a proof of concept for the present technology. As may beseen on FIGS. 11 and 12, the brick assemblies 82 have been disposed on aworkshop floor 88 by the vacuum brick lifter 10′, with nearly perfectalignment, despite the fact that they are formed of bricks 80 that arenot permanently joined with mortar or any other adhesive. On theseFigures, some bricks 80 a and 80 b were actually moved manually afterhaving been installed on the workshop floor 88 by the vacuum bricklifter 10′, in order to better illustrate the near perfect alignment ofall other bricks 80.

FIG. 13 is an illustrative, top plan view of the floor of theelectrolysis cell 100 with an overlaid tiling pattern. A tiling pattern200 is formed by tracing guiding lines 210 on a plan of the floor 110,forming virtual tiles 220 that, in the illustrated example, arerectangular and have a length/and a width these dimensions correspondingto the length and the width of a brick assembly 82. It should be notedthat the virtual tiles 220 may not be rectangular, as other shapes maybe contemplated. For example and without limitation, other virtual tileshapes may match the shape of the brick assembly 82′ illustrated on FIG.10.

In the example of FIG. 13, most of the virtual tiles 220 arerectangular. However, the floor 110 does not form a perfect rectangle.Consequently, virtual tiles 222 and 224 at one end of the floor 110 arenot perfectly rectangular. Moreover, virtual tiles 226 a, 226 b, 226 cand 226 d, at an opposite end of the floor 110, although rectangular,have a length l′ that is somewhat less than the length of the brickassembly 82. Evidently, the floor 110 of the electrolysis cell may havemany other departures from a perfect rectangular shape. Such departuresof the shape of the floor 110 from a perfect rectangular shape may bepresent, for example, on any of its four sides. Additionally, theoverall length of the floor 110 that, as shown on FIG. 13, may not be aninteger multiple of the length of the brick assemblies 82. In fact, theoverall length of the floor 110 may not even be an integer multiple ofthe length of an individual brick 80. Likewise, the overall width of thefloor 110 may also differ from an integer multiple of the width of thebrick assemblies 82 and may further differ from an integer multiple ofthe width of an individual brick 80. It may be noted that the floor 110of the electrolysis cell 100 may not be entirely flat. This may becorrected by the addition of mortar and/or alumina on the floor 110.

In many instances, it will not be possible to cover the floor 110 of theelectrolysis cell 100 with an integer number of perfectly shaped brickassemblies. Consequently, the sizes and shapes of several brickassemblies 82 may be adjusted in the working bench 50 in order toovercome the various departures between an ideal size and an ideal shapeof a brick assembly, as defined by the template of the shaper 56, and asize and a shape of an actual brick assembly 82 corresponding, forexample, to the virtual tiles 222, 224, 226 a, 226 b, 226 c and 226 d

A first brick layer may be disposed on the floor 110 of the electrolysiscell 100. In many instances, there will be a desired to lay at least onemore brick layer on top of the first brick layer. Brick assemblies 82 ofa second brick layer may be formed as expressed in the previousparagraphs, following the tiling pattern illustrated on FIG. 13.However, it may be desired to avoid positioning edges defined betweenadjacent bricks of one brick layer immediately above edges definedbetween adjacent bricks of a previous brick layer. To this end, FIG. 14is an illustrative, top plan view of a portion of the floor 110 of theelectrolysis cell 100 with two overlaid tiling patterns. A tilingpattern 300 is formed by tracing guiding lines 310 on the plan of thefloor 110 and over the first tiling pattern 200 introduced in thedescription of FIG. 13. The second tiling pattern 300 forms virtualtiles 320 that are shifted, in relation to the virtual tiles 220 of thefirst tiling pattern 200. In relation to the tiling pattern 200, thetiling pattern 300 is shifted in a first direction, for example alongthe length of the floor 110, and in a second direction, for examplealong the width of the floor 110. As mentioned hereinabove, the tilingpattern 200 will be used to form the first brick layer disposed on thefloor 110 of the electrolysis cell 100. In an embodiment, the tilingpattern 300 is shifted in the first direction by less than a firstdimension (e.g. the length) of the bricks forming the first brick layerand in the second direction by less than a second dimension (e.g. thewidth) of the bricks that forming the first brick layer. When the secondbrick layer is disposed on top of the first brick layer, there will beno significant overlap of edges defined between adjacent bricks of thesecond brick layer above edges defined between adjacent bricks of thefirst brick layer.

Non-limiting examples of methods for preparing and laying bricks on thefloor 110 of the electrolysis cell 100 are depicted in FIGS. 15, 16 and17. For example, FIG. 15 is a sequence diagram showing operations of amethod for preparing a plurality of brick assemblies 82 for covering thefloor 110 of the electrolysis cell 100. On FIG. 15, a sequence 400comprises a plurality of operations, some of which may be executed invariable order, some of the operations possibly being executedconcurrently, some of the operations being optional.

The sequence 400 begins at operation 410, where a first tiling pattern200 is overlaid on a plan of the floor 110 of the electrolysis cell 100,each virtual tile 220 of the first tiling pattern having a size and ashape of a template. The first tiling pattern 200 will be used toprepare brick assemblies 82 forming a first brick layer for installationof the floor 110 of the electrolysis cell 100. If it is desired toinstall a second brick layer on top of the first brick layer, a nextoperation 420 comprises overlaying, over the plan of the floor 110 ofthe electrolysis cell 100, a second tiling pattern 300 for the secondbrick layer. In the second tiling pattern 300, each virtual tile 320also has the size and the shape of the template. The second tilingpattern 300 is shifted in relation to the first tiling pattern 200 in afirst direction by less than a first dimension of bricks 80 of the firstbrick layer and in a second direction by less than a second dimension 80of the bricks of the first brick layer. The second tiling pattern 300may for example be shifted by half a length of a standard brick alongthe longitudinal axis 42 of the electrolysis cell 100 and by half awidth of the standard brick along a width of the electrolysis cell 100.

Operation 430 comprises identifying, for each virtual tile 220 of thefirst tiling pattern 200, zero or more departures of a portion of thefloor 110 of electrolysis cell 100 overlaid by the virtual tile 220 ofthe first tiling pattern 200 from the size and the shape of thetemplate. If it is planned to install a second brick layer, operation430 is also performed for each virtual tile 320 of the second tilingpattern 300.

Then at operation 440, for each given virtual tile 220 of the firsttiling pattern 200, and for each given virtual tile 320 of the secondtiling pattern 300 if applicable, where the given virtual tile 220 or320 has at least one departure from the size and the shape of thetemplate, a size and a shape of a corresponding brick assembly 82 isadjusted so that the corresponding brick assembly 82 matches a size anda shape of a given portion of the floor 110 of the electrolysis cell 110overlaid by the given virtual tile 220 or 320. Referring for example toFIG. 13, the size and the shape of the virtual tiles 222, 224, 226 a,226 b, 226 c and 226 d would be adjusted at operation 440.

In an embodiment, operation 440 may comprise a plurality ofsub-operations, some of which may be executed in variable order, some ofthe sub-operations possibly being executed concurrently, some of thesub-operations being optional. FIG. 16 is a sequence diagram showingsub-operations for adjusting the size and the shape of a brick assembly82. Operation 440 may comprise sub-operation 442 in which one or morebricks 80 of a brick assembly 82 may be cut in order to adjust the sizeand/or the shape of the brick assembly 82. Sub-operation 442 may includesub-operation 444, in which each brick 80 of the brick assembly 82 maybe adjusted according to a standard brick size and a standard brickshape. At sub-operation 446, the size and the shape of the brickassembly 82 may be adjusted by forming the brick assembly 82 bycombining fewer bricks 80 than a predetermined number of bricks of thetemplate. Operation 440 may be performed for all of the brick assemblies82 of the first and second brick layers, particularly if it is desiredto reshape each brick 80. Alternatively, operation 440 may be performedfor a limited number of brick assemblies 82 that are planned to beinstalled in areas of the electrolysis cell 100 where significantdepartures from an ideal rectangular shape are present. In an embodimentof the working bench 50 comprising a robotized arm, the robotized armmay manipulate a brick 80 to bring any of its lateral faces in contactwith the cutting tool 60 for adjusting its size and/or its shape, andthen move the bring toward the shaper 56 to complete operation 440.

Once the brick assemblies 82 have been prepared, they may be installedon the floor 110 of the electrolysis cell 100. To this end, FIG. 17 is asequence diagram showing operations of a method for covering the floor110 of the electrolysis cell 100. On FIG. 17, a sequence 500 comprises aplurality of operations, some of which may be executed in variableorder, some of the operations possibly being executed concurrently, someof the operations being optional. One or more subsets of a plurality ofbrick assemblies 82 for installation in a first brick layer are placedin one or more piles at operation 510. Similarly, if a second bricklayer is planned, one or more subsets of a plurality of brick assemblies82 for installation in the second brick layer are placed in one or morepiles at operation 520.

The first brick layer for covering the floor of the electrolysis cell isformed at operation 530. Operation 530 may comprise one or more ofsub-operations 532 and 534. At sub-operation 532, the brick assemblies82 of a given pile 84 of brick assemblies 82 of the first brick layer,placed on the receiving platform 130, are successively picked up from atop of the given pile 84. At sub-operation 534, each brick assembly 82successively picked up at sub-operation 532 is placed on the floor 110of the electrolysis cell 100, in an adjacent position to a previouslypicked up brick assembly 82.

For example and without limitation, a first brick assembly 82 taken fromthe top of a first pile 84 may be placed in a first corner on the floor110 of the electrolysis cell 100. A number of brick assemblies 82 maythen be adjacently placed from the first brick assembly 82, along awidth of the electrolysis cell 100, thereby forming a first row ofadjacent brick assemblies 80 extending across the width of theelectrolysis cell 100. More brick assemblies 82 may then be placedadjacently to this first row, thereby forming a second row that iscontiguous to the first row. Once the given pile 84 is empty, a nextpile 84 may be placed on the receiving platform 130 and sub-operations532 and 534 are repeated for installing the brick assemblies 82 of thisnext pile 84. The brick assemblies 82 for the first brick layer aresuccessively picked up from the one or more piles, until the floor 110of the electrolysis cell 100 is covered by the plurality of brickassemblies 82 forming the first brick layer, when a last brick assembly82 is picked up from the bottom of a last pile 84 and placed in a secondcorner of the floor 110 of the electrolysis cell 110, at an opposite endfrom the first corner.

If applicable, the second brick layer for covering the first brick layeris formed at operation 540.

Operation 540 may comprise one or more of sub-operations 542 and 544. Atsub-operation 542, the brick assemblies 82 of a given pile of brickassemblies 82 of the second brick layer are successively picked up froma top of the given pile. At sub-operation 544, each brick assembly 82successively picked up at sub-operation 542 is placed on top of thefirst brick layer, in an adjacent position to a previously picked upbrick assembly 82. The brick assemblies 82 for the second brick layerare successively picked up from the one or more piles until the firstbrick layer is covered by the plurality of brick assemblies 82 formingthe second brick layer. Details of operation 540 and of itssub-operations 542 and 544 may be similar or equivalent to those ofoperation 530 and of its sub-operations 532 and 534.

Additional brick layer may be installed on the floor 110 of theelectrolysis cell 100, until a desired depth of the brick layers isreached. For example and without limitation, it may be desired to coverthe floor 110 of the electrolysis cell 100 with 4 brick layers.

Each of the operations of the sequences 400 and 500 may be configured tobe processed by one or more processors, the one or more processors beingcoupled to a memory. FIG. 18 is a block diagram of a controller 600 of asystem for preparing brick assemblies 82 and for covering the floor 110of the electrolysis cell 100 with the brick assemblies 82.

The controller 600 comprises a processor or a plurality of cooperatingprocessors (represented as a single processor 610 for simplicity), amemory device or a plurality of memory devices (represented as a singlememory device 620 for simplicity), an input/output device or a pluralityof input/output devices (represented as an input/output device 630 forsimplicity). Separate input and output devices may be present instead ofthe input/output device 630. The input/output device 630 may be adaptedcommunicate with the working bench 50 and its components, the vacuumbrick lifter 10 working bench 50, the motorized structure 30 workingbench 50, and the remote controller 142, for providing controlinstructions to these devices and for receiving feedback signals fromthese devices. The memory device 620 may comprise a database 624 forstoring data which may include, for example, tiling patterns 200 and300, calculated sizes and shapes of each of the brick assemblies 82 anda mapping of the position of each of the brick assemblies 82 in thefirst and/or second brick layer.

The processor 610 is operatively connected to the memory device 620 andto the input/output device 630. The memory device 620 may comprise anon-transitory computer-readable medium 622 for storing codeinstructions that are executable by the processor 600 to perform theoperations of the sequences 400 and 500.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the description ofthe methods and of the system for preparing and installing brickassemblies on the floor of an electrolysis cell are illustrative onlyand are not intended to be in any way limiting. Other embodiments willreadily suggest themselves to such persons with ordinary skill in theart having the benefit of the present disclosure. Furthermore, thedisclosed methods and system may be customized to offer valuablesolutions to existing needs and problems related to the longinstallation time and to the amount of manpower required to lay brickson the floor of an electrolysis cell. In the interest of clarity, notall of the routine features of the implementations of the methods andsystem are shown and described. It will, of course, be appreciated thatin the development of any such actual implementation of the methods andsystem, numerous implementation-specific decisions may need to be madein order to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as compliancewith application-, system-, and business-related constraints, and thatthese specific goals will vary from one implementation to another andfrom one developer to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that adevelopment effort might be complex and time-consuming, but wouldnevertheless be a routine undertaking of engineering for those ofordinary skill in the field of aluminum smelting having the benefit ofthe present disclosure.

The present disclosure has been described in the foregoing specificationby means of non-restrictive illustrative embodiments provided asexamples. These illustrative embodiments may be modified at will. Thescope of the claims should not be limited by the embodiments set forthin the examples, but should be given the broadest interpretationconsistent with the description as a whole.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for preparing a plurality of brick assemblies for covering a floor of an electrolysis cell, comprising: overlaying a tiling pattern on a plan of the floor of the electrolysis cell, each virtual tile of the tiling pattern having a size and a shape of a template; identifying, for each virtual tile of the tiling pattern, zero or more departures of a portion of the floor of electrolysis cell overlaid by the virtual tile of the tiling pattern from the size and the shape of the template; and for each given virtual tile of the tiling pattern having at least one departure from the size and the shape of the template, adjusting a size and a shape of a corresponding brick assembly so that the corresponding brick assembly matches a size and a shape of a given portion of the floor of the electrolysis cell overlaid by the given virtual tile of the tiling pattern.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the size and the shape of the corresponding brick assembly comprises cutting one or more bricks of the corresponding brick assembly.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein cutting one or more bricks of the corresponding brick assembly comprises adjusting a size and a shape of each brick of the corresponding brick assembly according to a standard brick size and a standard brick shape.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein: the template comprises a predetermined number of bricks; and adjusting the size and the shape of the corresponding brick assembly comprises forming the corresponding brick assembly by combining fewer bricks than the predetermined number of bricks.
 5. A method for covering a floor of an electrolysis cell, comprising: preparing a plurality of brick assemblies using the method as defined in claim 1; placing one or more subsets of the plurality of brick assemblies in one or more piles; laying the brick assemblies of a given pile on the floor of the electrolysis cell by: successively picking up the brick assemblies of the given pile from a top of the given pile, and placing each successively picked up brick assembly on the floor of the electrolysis cell in an adjacent position to a previously picked up brick assembly.
 6. The method of claim 5, further comprising successively picking up and placing on the floor of the electrolysis cell the brick assemblies of a second pile after having picked up and placed on the floor of the electrolysis cell the brick assemblies of a first pile.
 7. The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of brick assemblies are placed on the floor of the electrolysis cell by: laying a first number of adjacent brick assemblies along a width of the electrolysis cell to form a first row of adjacent brick assemblies extending across the width of the electrolysis cell; and laying a second number of adjacent bricks along the width of the electrolysis cell so to form a second row of adjacent bricks extending across the width of the electrolysis cell, the second row of adjacent bricks being contiguous to the first row of adjacent brick assemblies.
 8. The method of claim 6, wherein a first brick assembly picked up from the first pile is placed in a first corner of the floor of the electrolysis cell.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein a last brick assembly picked up from a bottom of a last pile is placed in a second corner of the floor of the electrolysis cell at an opposite end from the first corner.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein: the tiling pattern is a first tiling pattern for a first brick layer for covering the floor of the electrolysis cell; the brick assemblies are first brick assemblies of the first brick layer; the method further comprising: overlaying, on the plan of the floor of the electrolysis cell, a second tiling pattern for a second brick layer, each virtual tile of the second tiling pattern having the size and the shape of the template, the second tiling pattern being shifted in relation to the first tiling pattern in a first direction by less than a first dimension of bricks of the first brick layer and in a second direction by less than a second dimension of the bricks of the first brick layer; identifying, for each virtual tile of the second tiling pattern, zero or more departures of a portion of the floor of electrolysis cell overlaid by the virtual tile of the tiling pattern from the size and the shape of the template; and for each given virtual tile of the second tiling pattern having at least one departure from the size and the shape of the template, adjusting a size and a shape of a corresponding second brick assembly so that the corresponding second brick assembly matches a size and a shape of a given portion of the floor of the electrolysis cell overlaid by the given virtual tile of the second tiling pattern.
 11. A method for covering a floor of an electrolysis cell, comprising: preparing the brick assemblies of the first and second pluralities of brick assemblies using the method as defined in claim 10; placing one or more first subsets of the first plurality of brick assemblies in one or more first piles; placing one or more second subsets of the second plurality of brick assemblies in one or more second piles; forming the first brick layer for covering the floor of the electrolysis cell by: successively picking up the first brick assemblies of a given first pile from a top of the given first pile, and placing each successively picked up first brick assembly on the floor of the electrolysis cell in an adjacent position to a previously picked up first brick assembly, wherein the first brick assemblies are successively picked up from the one or more first piles until the floor of the electrolysis cell is covered by the first plurality of brick assemblies; and forming a second brick layer for covering first brick layer by: successively picking up the second brick assemblies of a given second pile from a top of the given second pile, and placing each successively picked up second brick assembly on top of the first brick layer in an adjacent position to a previously picked up second brick assembly, wherein the second brick assemblies are successively picked upon from the one or more second piles until the first brick layer is covered by the second plurality of brick assemblies.
 12. A system, comprising: a working bench adapted to prepare brick assemblies; a vacuum brick lifter adapted to hold and release the prepared brick assemblies; a motorized structure adapted to move along sides of an electrolysis cell and to carry the vacuum brick lifter; and a controller comprising: an input/output device operatively connected to the working bench, to the vacuum brick lifter and to the motorized structure, a processor operatively connected to the input/output device, and a memory device comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon machine executable instructions for performing, when executed by the processor, the method as defined in claim
 1. 